Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-06-03

MR.. WILLIAM O BRIEN. Pryor, I o III .
sioner Coleman; ex-Mayor Grace, and Hon
Sunset" Cox Judge Edward Browne pre-
sided. and in brief speech reviewed the sllf-
ferings Of the Irish tenants, and euloglzed MIR.
O'Brien for his daring tour III Canada IN be
half Of his suffering countiymen. Mr.. O'Brien,
in rising to respond, was greeted with rous
ing cheers, lasting several minutes He said:
Every day that | spend in this great republic l
must say that am more and more astonlshed at
the extent TO which American sympathy has been
stirred up by the events of the last four weeks in
Canada tell you candiily would feel panied
and grieved at the generous praises showered
upon me, but feel that l am only humble
agent. Lansdowne and his admirers in Toronto
and Kingston have been more successful apostles
OF the irish cause than we would I've Our feeble
voites would have only told the deeds of Lans
1owne TO New York audience, but Lord Iaus-
| 1owue'S mobs have published that tale to the wide
world over, as loudly if il were hlazoned by the
archangels trumpet. The horrible moments /
experienced IN Canada will lie but lightly in my
memory when remember that the hrutalitieS of
Lansdowne's mob have Illustrated more fully
than 10000 speeches of mine would have done
the true character of LansCowne There is not
man here tonight who loves liberty or justice
| who does not know that the forces are fighting
against those of landlord cruelty and oppres-
>lbu- anu tUdl It's hllltS diltl utltDutTS Tue
forces of darkness and intolerance Lansdowne
has said everything for himself that he had got
to say, but believe that his most bitter partisan
dare not stand up in Canada and deny that every
charge we have made against him has been prac-
tlcally proved by his own confession.
Mr.. O'Brien then charged that in Kingston
| there was vile plot to murder him and that
| Lord Iansiowne knew it, and said that he
owed his life to the presence of the four Amer
| lean newspaper correspondents. representing
| &C. 600, 600 of people Lord Iansdowne was
| now imprisoned in small Orange preserve
| and afraid to face three fourths Of tine Cana
| dian people-trembling at the results of the
| course he has pursued, and he should be driven
| from the free soil of America.
Letters of regret were received from Gov
ernor Hill Ex-Governor Hoady, Archbishop
| Corrigan. ex-senator Conking, and many
| other prominent persons Mr.. Conkling's let
ter was addressed to James OGorman, and is
| as follows:
| Ny DEAR SIR: have just returned from an ab-
sence and am compelled TO take the next train to-
! day for Washington. | have your invitation to
| attend to morrow reception to Mr.. o Brien. 1t
is hardly to he hoped that return in time,
| hut wish to express my respect for Mr.. O'Brien
| and my admiration of his pluck not forgetting to
| record at the same time the contempt Justly due
to the rude and british indignities offered him in
| Canada | hope the occasion chosen 10 enable our
| citizens To pay honor to Mr.. O'Brien viii be all
that it need he TO express the sentiment Of New
| York. Cordially your obedient servant,
| ROSCOE CoNKLISG.
| After Mr.. O'Brien had concluded his speech
Mr.. kilbride spoke briefly in a similar strain
He was followed by the Rev J. R. Lloyd
Archbishop Corrigans letter OF regret was as
| follows:
wish to convey to you my cordial acknlowl-
edgInent of your favor of a box at the reception
| of Mr.. William O'Brien Thursday evening at
the Academy of Music. | regret that l can not
b. present at tins public manifestation Of sympa-
thy with the oppressed and suffering tenantry of
| ireland and protest against the evictions by which
| thousands of tenants are driven from hearth and
! home Their cruel hardShips not fail to call
forth the sympathies Of the civilized world and
this cannot fail To bring about pleasant relations
| between landlord and tenant.
During the reading of Archbishop Corri-
CANS letter there were cheers AMI Kisses, fol-
lowed by three cheers for Dr. McGlynn For
some time there was quite an uproar in the
building
Resolutions Of sympathy with the Irish
people and denouncins Lord Lansdowne were
adopted